New signs installed around Saint John remind people 'it's OK not to be OK'
The Saint John Suicide Prevention Committee has installed six signs across the city that are meant to raise awareness about the city's addiction and mental health crisis service.
Brandi Downey, co-chair of the committee, said they've been working on getting permanent signs in place for years.
"Right now everybody is struggling during COVID-19 and you know in the community we had a challenging last year with a rash of suicides," she told Information Morning Saint John.
According to the Department of Public Health, Saint John recorded 22 suicides between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. The same number of suicides were recorded for those dates this year.
The printing of the signs were paid for by the Maddy Murphy Foundation. Maddy Murphy was a young woman who committed suicide in Saint John in 2019.
"The money came from that foundation and it's in her memory, which is a really beautiful gesture."
The sign reads "Hey, you OK?" and lists the number for Saint John's mobile mental health unit.
"One of the pillars of suicide prevention includes awareness and that's a huge part of getting prevention initiatives on the go."
The signs are a permanent installation and Downey hopes to see more signs around the city soon. She said in the future they may have signs in poster form in schools or primary care offices.
"We're trying to get as much information out there as we can and we're hoping to continue to expand these signs."
Two have been installed on the Reversing Falls Bridge. The other four are located on the corner of Garden Street and Hazen Street, the corner of Crown and Union, the intersection of McAllister and Rothesay Avenue and the corner of Main and Douglas Avenue.
Downey said it's important people know about the resources around the city, including a 24 hour crisis line.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact the Saint John mobile crisis unit 24 hours a day at 1-888-811-3664 or call Canada Suicide Prevention Services 1-833-456-4566.
